"Please... just ask Lucien to see once," Delia pleaded in a hoarse voice. Caleb shook his head, who had prepared to deliver her final punishnt.
"You should have spoken the truth when Alpha Lucien gave you the chance," Caleb said with annoyance. "You’ve been here for more than three months, Delia. Yet you still don’t understand, your silence condemned you. You never once ntioned the hunters. Your punishnt is justified."
Normally, Caleb avoided lecturing prisoners. But Delia’s stubbornness had worn down his restraint.
"The hunters won’t spare Leia," Delia shot back. "Her father spilled too much of their blood. They’ll hunt her to the ends of the earth. If anyone can protect her, it’s . Tell Lucien, tell his brothers, give one chance to prove it."
Caleb’s jaw tightened. He rembered how many tis she had kept her silence before.
"And yet you refused to tell the sa thing," Leia said, stepping inside.
"Leia!" Delia whispered, her voice trembling as she froze in shock. She blinked rapidly, as though hoping the figure before her was an illusion. But it wasn’t. Behind her, she saw no trace of the three brothers, she had co alone.
"Leia... how did you co here?" Caleb’s voice broke the silence as he stepped closer, his eyes darting between the two won.
"Lucien and the others are outside," Leia answered. "Can you give us a mont?" She demanded a privacy from Caleb then.
Caleb hesitated, clearly reluctant, but after a pause he gave a stiff nod and slipped out of the dungeon, leaving them alone.
Leia’s gaze swept over Delia, her expression hardening as she took in the sight before her. Delia’s once-proud posture was gone; she was in a state of ruin, her appearance dilapidated while her spirit was fractured.
"What did you gain from hurting ?" Leia’s voice was steady but laced with sorrow. "We once shared a bond of friendship and sisterhood, Delia. A bond I thought unbreakable. And yet you chose to believe your grandmother’s poisonous words... chose betrayal over loyalty. You tried to kill , and not just , but others of our kind."
Delia’s lips quivered. "Didn’t we already have this conversation?"
Leia’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering across her features. "Yes. You beg them for rcy, for release... but when it’s just and you, your face changes. Your words change. I wonder which version of you is real."
"I’m sorry, Leia," Delia said at last, tears welling in her eyes.
"Is that remorse genuine?" Leia asked sharply. "Or is it just another one of your lies? I can’t tell anymore. Every word you speak feels tainted."
Delia leaned forward desperately. "If you were in my place, wouldn’t you have done the sa? Tell honestly."
"Never." Leia replied promptly. "When I lived among humans, I never thought betrayal could cut so deep. But here, in this pack, I’ve learned how wrong I was. You even went so far as to give up to the hunters. Do you realize what that ans? Whatever shred of trust I had left in you is gone. I’ve placed my decision in the Alpha’s hands. I won’t fight for you."
Delia’s tears spilled freely, tracing her cheeks as her voice quivered.
Leia took a steadying breath, her voice trembling now despite herself. "But before I leave... tell . Who leads the hunters? If you want even the faintest chance of forgiveness for your sins, if there’s a drop of conscience left in you, give that na. You won’t survive this, Delia. The least you can do is not take the truth with you to the grave."
Delia hesitated, her breathing ragged. At last, she whispered, "Aaron Rudwig. His father was killed by yours. That’s why he wants to hunt you down. If killing brings you peace, then you don’t need to beg Lucien for it. But answer this, if I ask you to trust one last ti, would you? The hunters won’t stop at you, Leia. They’ll go after Lucien, Ronan, Kieran, anyone close to you. I can help prevent that."
Leia stood in silence, her heart hamring, her mind suddenly tangled in questions she had never dared ask about her father’s past. Could Delia’s words be true? Trusting her felt like stepping willingly into a witch’s trap.
Her eyes softened with regret, but her resolve did not waver. "I’m sorry, Delia. I wish this had been your answer the last ti I ca to see you. But it’s too late."
With a heavy heart, Leia turned away, leaving Delia in shadows and tears.
She lowered herself to the cold floor of the dungeon, breaking into tears.
~~~~
Leia stepped out of the dungeon, the three n straightened instantly, their eyes fixed on her. Concern clung to her fra, and though her face was calm, there was a storm behind her gaze.
"It’s Aaron Rudwig," she said at last. "My father killed his. And now he wants my life in return." A hollow chuckle slipped past her lips, laced with bitterness rather than humor.
Ronan’s eyes softened as he stepped forward. "Leia... your father’s sins are not yours to bear," he said softly, bringing his hand to her shoulder. His hand brushed her shoulder in silent reassurance before he turned his gaze to his brothers.
"We don’t have ti to waste," Ronan declared, his tone clipped with urgency. "I’ll interrogate Eshira."
"Go ahead," Lucien replied, folding his arms as his eyes narrowed in thought. "In the anti, I’ll figure out how to establish contact with Aaron."
Leia’s head snapped toward him, her eyes flashing with disbelief. "Why would you contact him?" she demanded. Her voice wavered, carrying both anger and despair. "There’s no need to plead for . I can’t undo what my father has done. He destroyed lives, Lucien. And in doing so, he never realized the curse he left behind that his own daughter would bleed for his injustices." Her words fell to a murmur, heavy with grief, before she turned away.
Without waiting for a reply, she stepped forward and left their sights. Kieran’s jaw tightened, and without hesitation he followed, his eyes lingering on her retreating figure with worry before disappearing after her.
Lucien remained still, his gaze locked on Ronan. "I’ve decided to keep Delia alive."
Caleb stiffened in protest. "But I’ve already made the arrangents. And it’s useless to keep her breathing any longer. She’s dangerous, Lucien."
"I know," Lucien admitted. "But Delia lit the spark that brought all of this upon Leia. To reach our enemy, we may need her. Alive, she could be the key that opens the path to Aaron Rudwig."
Silence hung heavy in the air until Ronan finally gave a curt nod. "Then so be it," he said. "For now, that will be best. I’ll see you later."
With that, Ronan turned and went ahead to check on Eshira.
Caleb lingered, watching him go, then turned to Lucien with an uneasy look. "By the way," he said, lowering his voice, "I found out Rurik and Sorin t not long ago. I think Sorin helped Rurik attack on you that night. Do you plan to confront him?"
Lucien folded his arms. "No," he answered, shaking his head. "Confrontation would only make him clam up or drive him into never confessing his cri. I’ll set a trap instead, then will force a confession where he can’t lie his way out."
Caleb frowned. "You asked him directly, didn’t you? Twice, wasn’t it?"
"I asked him twice," Lucien confird. "Both tis he denied it. Typical of Alphas like him, they hide behind their pride and treaties. To them I’m an enemy. That’s why he chose to help a hybrid to get rid of ."
"Well, you’ve a lot of things to care of. Leia has her own troubles and they can truly beco heavy on this pack. Delia said that hunters were quite powerful and we might need her to drive them away from Leia. She insisted we couldn’t protect her without her help."
"That’s her fear talking. She knew her death was near, that was why she speak that way," Lucien pronounced with a frown.
~~~~
Leia stepped into the living room. Azalea sat on the couch, a knitted shawl wrapped around her shoulders, her eyes imdiately lifting with concern.
"Where have all of you been?" Azalea asked, worry threading her tone. "The weather is cruel since morning."
"I went to the dungeon," Leia replied. "To see Delia."
Azalea blinked, her brows knitting. "Delia?" she repeated, confusion flickering in her gaze. Age had blurred certain nas and faces for her.
"She was my friend once," Leia explained softly, lowering herself onto the couch beside her.
Recognition dawned slowly, and Azalea gave a faint nod. "Ah... yes. I rember now." Her voice dropped into a murmur, half to herself. "Lucien has kept her alive. That must be because of you. Otherwise, my grandson rarely shows rcy to anyone."
Leia’s face tensed, betraying the turmoil twisting within her. Azalea noticed that imdiately.
"Child," Azalea said gently, "not every friend remains a well-wisher. Sotis love curdles into envy, or grief turns to hatred. It is complicated, yes. But Delia’s choice to take revenge was her own. She blad you when it was your father’s sins that brought ruin. And now..." Azalea’s eyes softened, "your father is gone. You will never get answers from him."
Leia’s voice broke as she whispered, "And it kills even more."
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